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Grapefruit is a tropical citrus fruit known for its sweet and somewhat sour taste.

It's rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fibre, making it one of the healthiest citrus fruits you can eat.

Research shows that it may have some powerful health benefits, including weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease.

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Here are 10 evidence-based health benefits of grapefruit.

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1. It's Low in Calories, Yet High in Nutrients

Grapefruit is an incredibly healthy food to include in your diet. That's because it's high in nutrients, but low in calories. In fact, it's one of the lowest-calorie fruits.

It provides a decent amount of fibre, in addition to more than 15 beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Here are some of the major nutrients found in half of a medium-sized grapefruit

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Calories: 52

Carbs: 13 grams

Protein: 1 gram

Fibre: 2 grams

Vitamin C: 64% of the RDI

Vitamin A: 28% of the RDI

Potassium: 5% of the RDI

Thiamine: 4% of the RDI

Folate: 4% of the RDI

Magnesium: 3% of the RDI

Additionally, it is a rich source of some powerful antioxidant plant compounds, which are likely responsible for many of its health benefits

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2. It May Benefit Your Immune System

Eating grapefruit regularly may be beneficial for your immune system.

It's prized for its high content of vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties known to protect your cells from harmful bacteria and viruses

Additionally, several studies have shown vitamin C to be beneficial for helping people recover more quickly from the common cold

Many other vitamins and minerals found in grapefruit are known to benefit immunity, including vitamin A, which has been shown to help protect against inflammation and several infectious diseases.

Grapefruit also provides small amounts of B vitamins, zinc, copper and iron, which all work together in the body to promote immune system function. They also help maintain the integrity of your skin, which acts as a protective barrier to infection.

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3. May Promote Appetite Control

Grapefruit contains a decent amount of fibre — 2 grams in half of a medium-sized fruit

Research shows that a diet high in fibre-rich fruits is beneficial for inducing feelings of fullness. This is because fibre slows the rate at which your stomach empties, increasing digestion time.

Thus, consuming adequate amounts of fibre may automatically help you eat fewer calories throughout the day by keeping your appetite at bay.

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4. It Has Been Shown to Aid Weight Loss

Grapefruit is a weight loss friendly food.

It has several properties linked to weight loss, especially its fibre content, which helps promote fullness and reduce calorie intake.

Additionally, grapefruit contains few calories but lots of water, which is another characteristic known to help with weight loss.

One study in 91 obese subjects found that those who consumed half of a fresh grapefruit before meals lost significantly more weight than those who didn't.

In fact, those in the group that ate fresh grapefruit lost an average of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) over 12 weeks, while the participants in the group that didn't eat grapefruit lost less than 1 pound (0.3 kg), on average.

Other studies have found similar weight-reducing effects. For instance, one study found that participants experienced a reduced waist size when they consumed grapefruit daily with their meals

This isn't to say that grapefruit will produce weight loss on its own but adding it to an already healthy diet may prove to be beneficial.

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5. Grapefruit May Help Prevent Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

Eating grapefruit regularly may have the potential to prevent insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes.

Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding to insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that regulates many processes in your body. For example, it's involved in many aspects of your metabolism, but it's most commonly known for its role in blood sugar control.

Eating grapefruit may help control insulin levels and thus can reduce your likelihood of becoming insulin resistant.

In one study, subjects who ate half of a fresh grapefruit before meals experienced a significant reduction in both insulin levels and insulin resistance, compared to the group that didn't eat grapefruit.

Furthermore, eating fruit as a whole is generally associated with better blood sugar control and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

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6. Eating Grapefruit May Improve Heart Health

Regularly consuming grapefruit is thought to improve heart health by reducing risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

In one study, people who ate grapefruit three times daily for six weeks experienced significant reductions in blood pressure over the course of the study. They also showed improvements in total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.

These effects are likely due to the important nutrients that grapefruit contains, which play a role in keeping your heart functioning properly.

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First, grapefruit is fairly high in potassium, a mineral responsible for many aspects of heart health. Half a grapefruit provides about 5% of your daily potassium needs.

Adequate potassium intake is associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure. Additionally, it has been shown to lower the risk of death from heart disease.

Second, the fibre in grapefruit may also boost heart health, given that a high fibre intake is associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

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Overall, researchers claim that including fibre and antioxidant-rich fruits like grapefruit as part of a healthy diet helps protect against conditions like heart disease and stroke.

7. It's High in Powerful Antioxidants

Grapefruit contains a few different antioxidants that provide various health benefits, including a reduced risk of several diseases.

Antioxidants protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body.

Here's an overview of the most important antioxidants in grapefruit:

Vitamin C: A powerful, water-soluble antioxidant that is present in high amounts in grapefruit. It may protect cells from damage that often leads to heart disease and cancer.

Beta-carotene: It's converted into vitamin A in the body and thought to help reduce the risk of some chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer and eye-related disorders like macular degeneration.

Lycopene: Known for its potential ability to prevent the development of certain types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. May also help slow the growth of tumours and decrease the side effects of common cancer treatments.

Flavanones: Their anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

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8. May Reduce the Risk of Kidney Stones

Consuming grapefruit may reduce your risk of developing kidney stones, which result from a build-up of waste materials in the kidneys.

These waste materials are products of metabolism that are normally filtered through the kidneys and removed from the body in urine.

However, when they crystallize in the kidneys, they become stones. Larger kidney stones may cause a blockage in the urinary system, which can be incredibly painful.

The most common type of kidney stones is calcium oxalate stones. Citric acid, an organic acid found in grapefruit, may be effective at preventing them by binding with calcium in the kidneys and flushing it out of the body.

Also, citric acid can increase the volume and pH of your urine, producing an environment that is less favourable to the formation of kidney stones.

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9. Very Hydrating

Grapefruit contains a lot of water and is, therefore, very hydrating. In fact, water makes up most of the fruit's weight.

There are almost 4 ounces (118 ml) of water in half of a medium grapefruit, which accounts for about 88% of its total weight.

While drinking lots of water is the best way to stay hydrated, eating water-rich foods can also help.